A Collection of Hearts
by LightBloom
Summary: A series of drabbles, Akuroku centric. Ch3 - Breaking the Rules. Being a prisoner for a ransom can make you less trusting of smart mouthed red heads. Roxas knows this first hand.
1. Storm

**First one can be interpreted as a friendly AU setting, or slight Akuroku.  
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**Storm**

Roxas peered around nervously, fidgeting awkwardly in his seat. He adjusted the seat belt a little tighter around his waist, struggling with the band before giving up. Clicking the release button, he curled a little closer to himself, cold fear running through his chest and taking form of a fresh shaky breathe.

"This doesn't feel very safe…" He whispered softly, looking out the window again. Axel chuckled next to him, and reached over. Fixing the unruly belt himself, he clicked it back together. Roxas glared at his friend.

"Safety first," Reminded Axel pleasantly, wagging a finger in front of his face.

"I don't feel safe." He retorted back before wincing at another bump in the air. Stupid plane and its turbulence.

"How so?"

"Well, I don't think a plane ride is supposed to feel so bouncy…is it?" Roxas curled in more, knees against his chest. "It feels like the plane is about to fall apart."

"Do you feel sick?"

"No, it's just…" Roxas shook his head, refusing to say the dreaded word. _Scared._

He was scared.

Axel shrugged. "It's just turbulence, it'll pass—"

"_Passengers, we regret to inform you that the plane is stuck in the middle of a storm. We are trying our best to ride it out as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, remain calm and please maintain in your seats until it is safe to move about the cabin."_

Roxas turned in order to glare at Axel. The latter laughed nervously. "I stand corrected?"

Mouth opening to retort, Roxas was rudely interrupted by a violent shaking. Gripping the edge of his seat in blind panic, he fought back a small cry before resuming his fight against the turbulence. People nearby with weak stomachs were beginning to feel the effects of the storm. Closing his eyes, Roxas willed the noises to go away and bit his lip. _God I wish I were home right now…_

Smooth hands slid over his ears, interrupting his thoughts as headphones entered the mental conversation. Eyes snapping open in surprise, Roxas glanced up, catching Axel's small smile before noticing the mp3 being shoved into his hands. He closed his eyes, letting Axel guide his fingers to the play button. Wincing at the bump of the plane, he rolled closer to Axel instinctively, letting the music take over his mind.

_Thank god for rock music and its bass…_

**o.O.o**

"_Thank you for your cooperation tonight ladies and gentlemen, we appreciate it. Sorry for the delay; the flight will be rescheduled to continue tomorrow morning. Accommodations are currently being made for you and can be received upon exiting the plane. Have a good evening."_

_Roxas_

_Roxas…_

"Roxas. Hey, earth to Roxas." Axel shook the blond one more time, finally snapping him out of shock.

Blinking to gather his wits, Roxas took a moment to focus. Axel looked down worriedly. The plane must've landed already; people were resting tiredly on the front of their seats. Some were already on the phone, reassuring their families that they were completely fine. Thinking about that…Sora was on the plane too, with Riku. Somewhere ahead or behind them, his brother was probably just as worn out as he felt.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Axel prodded him gently to capture his attention once more. "You feel okay?"

Roxas nodded blankly, not entirely paying attention. He was on the ground. This was so unreal. Up there in the air, about ready to pass out from hyperventilation, he felt elevated. About to die. No one would have known. They could've died, just like that. Just like…that; a nobody that would be briefly mentioned on TV as a part of the tragedy but still remaining no more than a number.

"Hey Roxas, listen, the plane had to land at the nearest airport we could find and since it's like… two in the morning, they're putting everyone in the nearest hotel for now." Two paper brochures were held flimsily in front; not that they registered in his brain quickly anyways. "We'll be stuck her until roughly one in the afternoon."

Roxas nodded shakily, his nerves beginning to react at last. Slowly, he reached up to his ears and removed the headphones. Axel had turned the device off sometime when the plane landed; he didn't know when.

"So, first of all, we should go pick up our stuff. That way we can head out straight to the hotel—Not to mention we have to find Sora and Riku. Man…I can't remember where they sat…this sucks…do you remember? Roxas?"

Axel waited for a response and looked back at his friend upon realizing that he wasn't going to get one very soon. To his surprise, a small bead of moisture was trailing down the blonde's cheek. _Shit_, he bit his lip gently. _Maybe I shouldn't have teased him so much before we got on the plane; I mean, this was their first plane ride ever…Who would've guessed it was going to turn out this badly?_

"Roxas," His voice lowered to a soft whisper, leaning in so that the conversation would remain between the two seats. "Are you alright?"

Roxas nodded again, this time, trembling more than before. He shut his eyes in a vain attempt to prevent more tears. Fighting the urge to smile at the cuteness of his childish actions, Axel reached over and pulled his friend into a gentle embrace. He chuckled quietly upon realizing that it wasn't until his face was thoroughly buried in his black sweater that Roxas really started crying. "Oh hush, you're fine. Don't worry, it's all over."

_It was just a storm…_


	2. Despair

**Despair**

_Don't be afraid. Don't be sad. Everything's much simpler than you could ever imagine._

_We all have the same problems at one point in time._

_We all have one like you._

"I hate this," Roxas grumbled into his pillow for the hundredth time.

Axel sighed, watching silently as his best friend mourned tragically into the pillow.

On his bed

Thus making the pillow, his pillow

It was a good thing that he was such a good friend and didn't mind letting him stay there. Axel was a good person, and a good friend. He would never do something like that.

Then again, there was also the incredibly strong theory that Roxas could very possibly tear his arm straight out the socket if he so much as tried to touch him right now. And Axel was very attached to his arms. Arms, contrary to common belief, were incredibly useful nowadays.

Still, best friend meant obligations, and obligations were obligations, thus requiring Axel to at least attempt to cheer up the despairing blond; by the safety of the door of course. "Come on Roxas, it couldn't possibly be that bad—"

"Shuddup Axel"

Voice muffled through the abundance of pillows, the only sing that Roxas gave of still being alive involved watching his blond spikes rise and fall against his shoulders whenever he breathed. Roxas grumbled pitifully again and buried his face further in. "Go away"

"Stop being such a drama queen."

Oh dear, there went the mouth filter. Might as well dive into the pool of sharks, since he'd just condemned himself to a life of being pinned to the doorframe like mistletoe. If he was lucky, Roxas would launch himself at the redhead and tear at his eyes instead. Those weren't half as useful as arms. On the other hand, Axel was fairly attached to his sight too. Biting his cheek, he continued despite the fear. "It was just a girl—"

"Four"

Axel hesitated. What the hell did four mean? Was it some kind of code he was supposed to understand? Expected to know? Come one Roxas, this was difficult already. "I beg your pardon?"

"_Four Girls, _Axel."

It was rather amusing, how he'd awkwardly stuck his butt sky high while his face remained planted firmly in the feathery mass. If it had been any other sort of situation, Axel would have laughed.

"There were four girls. Kairi was the first, and she didn't give so much a care for me as she obviously does for Sora—"

Axel scoffed. "Kairi's a little tramp, you don't need her."

"Naminé ran off with that one weird guy that we all thought was gay and owned the flower shop, living happily ever after somewhere named Radiant Gardens…"

"Naminé was always…" Axel fought internally for the correct word. She was a nice girl. Not a tramp like Kairi. Even if they both wore stupendously short dresses. "Unpredictable."

Yeah. That completely explained _everything_. Way to go Axel.

"…There was that odd stalker girl at the mall, who followed me around for a month…"

Axel shivered involuntarily at the uncomfortable memory. She had been a sweet girl, nice and honest. Much too honest sometimes, in a naïve way. But yes, highly creepy.

"…And now, Xion."

Ah, the main problem. Axel struggled for the response to the curveball known as women problems. "Roxas, Xion…Xion is…She…Well; we both knew Riku had a thing for her in the first place…"

Roxas sat up, his back facing the doorway. "That's just it though," He muttered quietly, posture defeated as he resumed his moping. Slumping over on his side and nestling into the pillow again, he sighed. "They all either fell for another guy or just liked me for all the wrong reasons."

The blond rolled his face into the pillows, knees curling against his chest and hands fisting around small sections of the spreads beneath him. He cringed. "Why isn't there a middle ground? Where is _my_ middle ground? It's not fair. I can't even do anything about it—why am _I_ the only one with this problem? Why do I get No-Man's Land while everyone else gets a safe spot on the other side of the battle? They get a bridge and I get a wasteland. Why can't I leave it?"

The room was all but silent with Roxas' frustrated sighs. Quietly, Axel made his way over to the bed (mind you, _his_ bed), grabbing a rolled up blanket on the way. Spreading it evenly across his curled up friend, he sat down soundlessly. Taking a deep breath, words started to form against his lips.

"Because…"

He bit his lip, hitting a snag in his thoughts. He tried again.

"Because…"

"You don't even know," Interrupted Roxas wistfully. "Why? What were you going to say? Life's not fair? They don't know what they're missing?"

Axel almost smiled. Too bad this was the time to be serious.

"…Because no one is brave enough to stick around the so-called middle ground. It's No-Man's Land. If you aren't careful, you get shot and wounded. No one can help you up. It's a scary place, and not many are brave enough to even attempt it. Who likes getting hurt?"

Roxas frowned inside his mess of pillows. "You're terrible at this motivational crap."

"Not a lot of people are brave like you."

Axel smiled, fairly sure that Roxas was scowling by now.

"Not a lot of people can take the heat." He leaned back and fell lazily against the mountain of marshmallow cushions. "Girls and Guys like to go around. They take the bridge, because they see the storm of bullets and fog of dust and get scared. The bridge is easier. People like you and me stick to the warfare—we get shot at by the ones on the bridge, because they can't see who is trying to ask for help. It's a terribly tiring process."

"The rewards are small and few. Doesn't that make the accomplishments we make seem all the more worthwhile though?" Axel chuckled, rising up. Tucking his friend in jokingly (Roxas snorted heavily as he felt a pat on his head), he started heading for the door. There were Senior Papers to write after all, and the pen didn't write by itself. "Not a lot of people are brave enough to venture out to see you."

_Not a lot of people are brave like me._

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**I know that this is only the second chapter and I'm awfully new on the sight, but well, Reviews do make my day. Tell me, what can I improve? Typos? Did you like it?**


	3. Breaking the Rules

**Breaking the Rules**

_Sorry for the slight angst, but well..._

_Couldn't help how my mind traversed at the moment. _

_Call it getting carried away.  
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Stone grey walls met my eyes every day. Cold cement walls that hold no heat and bear no kindness in the dead of night when they come to through water on me; nothing but a cold whisper of a wind that only made the already frigid nights seem all more lonely and cold. I don't sleep enough anymore; being awake is a nightmare itself. Sometimes, I wonder if I can just collapse in a puddle of water and hope to drown.

God isn't so gracious.

I can't count the number of days I've been in here…They released my cousin. I'm all that's left and they're hell bent on keeping me here. I'm never getting out of here. Not for a while…

Not alive that is.

I'm too used to the silence, the occasional outburst in my direction and damage done to my being. I've given up hope and all attempts in fighting back. I just…don't see a point anymore. The metal door creaks open slowly; one of them must be back for round three…or was it four? I can't remember anymore; life just blurs together now.

Opening my eyes, I met green eyes. _Look them in the eye. Look them in the eye, show no fear and say nothing unless asked._

The emerald eyes narrowed with suspicion, a blurry face leaning close. I could focus on his features now that he was closer. "They're red." He stated flatly—At least, I think it's a male. Either that or that blond girl got really masculine overnight.

He wasn't lying though. My eyes were probably completely blood-shot by now, from all the stress and blows to my face. Not to mention I probably haven't slept more than three hours the whole week. Bleeding eyes don't seem to be a problem with him though.

I can feel smooth long fingers slide underneath my chin and gently push up so that he can get a better view. "Ocean blue…"

_The last one who said that told me he wanted to drown in them. _

_Keep still_.

If I keep still, I don't get in trouble. I try to keep a still as possible, but my nerves get the better of me and I end up flinching under his cool fingers. He scowled, pinching my cheek. "I take it you don't feel comfortable with me touching you?" He demanded.

I took his remark silently, recalling the last time I answered truthfully. I couldn't move for a week. However, he isn't Xemnas. He's definitely not Larxene either. Ignoring him just seems to upset him even more. "Well?"

I bit back my words, teeth pinching at my tongue to prevent spilling my thoughts. _Just get it over with, whatever it is you want. That's the only reason anyone ever comes this way anyways. No one ever comes to give me food or water. One person does—I don't know who they are but even they don't stick around in my room. _

"Aren't you going to stand up for yourself?"

_No._

"You really shouldn't let them push you around like this. It's no wonder you never leave this room; aside from making sure that a ransom will. You should be happy that your family loves you enough to try and pay it off."

_Say nothing. Nothing and absolutely nothing. Remain silent. _

He sighed quietly before grabbing the collar of my shirt and yanking me up to my feet. Smiling, he dusted me off quickly. Admiring his imaginary work, he started tugging me towards the door. "Come on."

I dug my heels into the ground and refused to move; a stupid move since he was roughly three head taller than me. I slid a little before he noticed my attempts. "What are you doing?"

He stared in surprise momentarily before cracking a wide smile. "I knew you could still talk."

My mouth clamped shut. _Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it._

He laughed. "We're leaving."

"But why—"

Again, I bit my tongue. What the hell. I knew the rules to their stupid sick games. Don't speak unless spoken to. Don't answer unless expected to. Never tell the truth if it's about you. Lie. Take it silently and hope to god that tears don't make them repeat it again afterwards. Don't complain if they snap a leg or arm. Deal with the pain. Make little mess.

_Do not cry._

Eat what was given to me, sleep when told and wake when kicked. Everyone knew these rules, everyone followed them, so why was he breaking the rules now—

"I'm breaking you out of here stupid." The male laughed. "What do you think I'm going to do? Trick you, leave you at the door and make someone punish you later for trying to get away? Seriously, what did you think I was going to pull?"

I fell silent. Under normal circumstances, I probably would have blushed. But I'd spent too much time here for that now.

Multiple memories came to mind and I felt the urge to curl up in a hole and die. Or vomit.

Realizing what my silence meant, he shifted awkwardly before running a hand through his red hair. "They've…They've really poisoned you down here, haven't they?"

He sighed. "Damn…I remember when your cousin was still in this room…If it was my turn to guard at night, I could hear you trying to cheer him up. Every now and then you'd laugh or smile. Was that all an act for him? Or did they finally snuff out that spark of life you had?"

I glared at him, my eyes burning from the strain. I couldn't see him. Not this far away. I could when I woke up—when he was in my face—but not now. As far as my eyes could tell, he was just some red topped coat rack that would move on occasions. I could barely tell him apart from the wall, if it hadn't been for his fire head.

"Well?"

"Is it any of your business?" I snarled. I really hope this wasn't a trick, or else I'd _definitely_ get beat for that one.

"Shouldn't it be? I am rescuing you after all."

Cringing closer to the wall, I frowned. "I don't want to go."

"Like hell you do," he stated firmly, displeasure ringing through every word. "You look half dead."

"Good. I hope I die."

"You _want_ to die in this prison?"

Flinching, I bit my tongue to avoid the truth and nodded.

"Don't be a liar; I've passed by here at least once during the day and night, _every day._ I could hear you crying, _begging _to be let out. I heard you the day that your brother's happy-go-lucky boyfriend came to rescue you, how you sobbed all night because he saved him instead of you. I heard you screaming for help when they took your cousin away and how you pleaded to the steel door for them to take you instead."

Somewhere during his rant, I looked away, shame heating my face. I hated this—them; for knowing this, and doing nothing about it; for laughing at his suffering. He fell silent, waiting for my reaction. Mind on autopilot, I felt the words slip out of my mind and roll off my tongue. "Why are you helping me? Aren't you one of them? You want me here to keep a steady paycheck from my brother, so why are you doing this?"

"I guess I'm just sick of hanging out with sick people," he answered honestly, sincere as he held out something in front of my face.

A hand

"Last chance; they're going to be back in an hour, and I still have to find your cousin."

Starring at the blurry hand, I considered my options. He hadn't hurt me yet. He seemed sincere, and so far there was nothing to distrust about him. On the other hand, I'd never met him before. He could be shitting bricks my direction and I wouldn't know—metaphorically. _Still_, I thought, _he was offering me a hand out the door and I'd have to be crazy to not accept it._

I grabbed for it blindly before he hooked his fingers firmly around my wrist. He chuckled. "What's your name again? I never really did pay attention to Paparazzi reports."

The smile that crept on my face seemed strange, but not uncomfortable; natural. I hadn't smiled in a long time—not honestly at least. "Roxas"

"Axel. Nice to meet you partner."

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_If you read FF alot, you know the drill. Read and Review, and make my dreams come true, heh. Seriously, though, I'd appreciate it, even if you do it to tell me that you hate me writing and I shouldn't update again. Because I will anyways, since they're just drabbles. _


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